It was cool and cloudy but dry as we assembled at the quarry car park on Smeardon Down. We set of down the road to the site of the Smeardon Down ochre works. Stopping to look at a lumpy bumpy bit of ground thought to have been either a loading bay, or some settling pits. Taking the track that contoured around the hill, we past some patches of very yellow soil before coming to a large settling pit hidden in the bracken. Up to “tadpole pond” which was either a reservoir for the leat, or a pit from which the ochre was extracted. Along the leat a short way, past chest high bracken which was allegedly hiding more settling pits, then up, up, up to Boulters Tor and a stop for coffee.
Suitably refreshed, we made a slight detour from the bridle way to look as the slowly decaying ruins of Twist farm house. Down the bridle way towards Cudliptown, over the stream and on to the road. Turning right, we headed up hill onto Cudliptown Down. On reaching the open moor, we opted to give White Tor a miss, and contoured round to Stephen’s Grave. Time for a quick photograph before heading down the familiar track to the cars. As promised, down hill at the start and down hill at the end (though plenty of up in the middle). Then on to the Peter Tavy Inn for a well earned lunch.
Phil